What a waste! Every time I see a new study tool to assist teaching college courses, I get excited, but this program requires that I deactivate my current ADE software in order to use Nookstudy. I have no desire to do so and must uninstall Nookstudy since I cannot use it without doing as they demand. Kindle is looking better every day!

Well, I kind of like the side-by-side two book comparison feature, and the choice of 6 fonts. And of course it's nice to have a sliding panel for the Table of Contents (where applicable) and one's notes and highlights. Unfortunately for Mac users, these last two functions seem not to have been enabled.

The "last page read" info in the My Library listing is also kind of nifty, though they really need to let you sort/filter your books somehow if you've a long list of such.

For the curious, this does not open eReader format PDB files. At all. However it seems you can add your own ePubs and PDFs.

But this thing is really slow and likes to give me the spinning beachball of death, and I have a relatively recent model Mac. Also, somewhat clunky and unintuitive GUI design, but probably no worse than ADE.

With a certain amount of improvement, it could shape up to be a fairly handy app.

All in all, I think I'll stick to using the Mac version of the B&N Reader, outdated as it is.

It already does most of the highlighting/note-taking/font-adjustment/double-page view/side-by-side books open stuff, and on the plus side, I can export my notes as plain text and copy/paste selected text without running into a "copy limit" notice.

ETA: Just tried the note-taking/highlight feature on something other than the decidedly under-detailed NookStudy User Guide. Works well enough, with options to set a rainbow of colours for highlights, question marks, and asterisks, but not combined, which would have been useful.

Other useful features: timestamps on the notes, which if any chapter they appear in, and keyword tags.

Still no way to export the notes that I can find.

Last edited by ATDrake; 08-03-2010 at 04:21 PM.
Reason: Some stuff I thought didn't work actually does.

It sort of got me thinking about something. Will it ultimately not be the hardware which decides the winner of the whole ereader device/multi-purpose reader competition but it will be the software/firmware which is the deciding factor? PC's were no different I suppose.

I recently bought my first real reference book to research a single subject. I found that while it viewed fine on my K2i using the new firmware, previously it look like...well....crap, under the old v2.3.x and before firmware. But it still is really a different way to study a subject as well as research. I really have moved into the camp of a two panel device as absolutely needed as well as some real software to help manage the whole reading-study-research trinity. Us users are going to have to adapt to a new way of doing things but at the same time device makers/brands are going to sink a ton more cash into developing the right software/firmware to make it all work in a fashion that does not impede progress and learning.

After my recent purchase I have to say right now I do not want any device, even a DXG, my K2i, iPad or even an Entourage Edge or any other current dual panel reader or large format reader. It's all because the software simply does not feel seamless.

Another thing needed is the ability to work with multiple sources at the same time. That includes the web browser...meaning to become useful these devices have to begin to multi-task in a serious fashion.

I have and use MS OneNote and have used other similar apps and all of them are basically the same though they each have their pros & cons. The one thing is they all work with minimal need to adapt how you study/research to fit the software, in other words the software is at best transparent or at worst initially minimally intrusive but eventually becomes second nature.

What does this mean? I take it to mean that not a single device out today or due out in the next few years is going to be worth a darn to students or as research tools, except to those who, well, just want a fun device even if it actually slows down the process. I know someone out there right now is saying something to the effect that the devices at least reduce the clutter ya need to lug around. Very true...but, the trade off is a very weak platform poorly suited to the task of research/study in their current form.

I say too much marketing is put on making everyone pay attention to the screens...it's misdirection to distract us from the plain truth that right now none of them provide any real improved or even equivalent option as a study/research tool or aid.

Right now, the best option is a Tablet/Slate PC with it's less than adequate battery life and an active digitizer and finger touch interface...and this is because these devices can run the study management apps, reader software and let you view multiple info sources at the same time, or at least flip between them quickly. Maybe in addition to the improved on device firmware/software as well as some dedicated and/or programmable buttons to help with navigation within the current document or switching between other open content.

I guess at least there is a step in the right direction on this software still, until device brands start to spend serious attention on this side of things, for me, readers are never going to be a serious tool. And now circumstances what they are, I doubt I will see one while it still matters to me. I think what so many of use liked about the idea of the MS Courier was it looked like it could scale up to be exactly this sort of device if built around something like OneNote, good web browser and a good reading software...

I hope this one is better than their regular "reader for PC." I had all kinds of problems with it--it wouldn't open most of my epub books (no they don't have DRM), I had trouble figuring out the interface...I know they are new at some of this, but, let's just say that won't be the app I load on my netbook for travel.

Well, I have a question about it. In theory it seemed like a good idea so I downloaded and installed it. I created an account for it, but when I tried to open it, it asked to create an Adobe account for me. Trouble is, it only has US states and schools listed, and I live in Europe! Am I to understand that I cannot use a piece of software because of my location? Really? If that's the case, I will remove it and any trace of it from my computer.

I created an account for it, but when I tried to open it, it asked to create an Adobe account for me. Trouble is, it only has US states and schools listed, and I live in Europe! Am I to understand that I cannot use a piece of software because of my location?

I'm not in the US either. Pick whatever state and school you like off the list. They neither check, nor care.

The software opens up fine once you're past that step, and works well enough with a couple of nifty features (though if you have an Intel Mac, the old B&N Reader app is actually much better at most of the more useful functions).

I should warn you that the Release Notes do say that the textbook-buying function is only available to US and Canada, if that's what you were interested in. But there are ways around that geo-restriction, too.

ETA: Hey, I just went from Zealot to Groupie with this post!

Last edited by ATDrake; 08-04-2010 at 04:50 PM.
Reason: Just noticed something.

I'm not in the US either. Pick whatever state and school you like off the list. They neither check, nor care.

The software opens up fine once you're past that step, and works well enough with a couple of nifty features (though if you have an Intel Mac, the old B&N Reader app is actually much better at most of the more useful functions).

I should warn you that the Release Notes do say that the textbook-buying function is only available to US and Canada, if that's what you were interested in. But there are ways around that geo-restriction, too.

ETA: Hey, I just went from Zealot to Groupie with this post!

Thanks, I'll do that. I'm on a PC so I think it'll work. Geographic restrictions just make me so angry. Right now I just don't have the strength or time to try to go around them, I have too many things at work and school to worry about. (I presume there's something somewhere here I can look up if the need ever arises? I'd mostly be interested in checking out their library and information science books.)

(I presume there's something somewhere here I can look up if the need ever arises? I'd mostly be interested in checking out their library and information science books.)

Yes, the nook subforum here has a very useful thread where international users discuss ways to make the nook and B&N store work for them. And you'll probably like B&N's 7-day textbook trial downloads, if they've got anything you want.

Incidentally, for those who were wondering about the Free College Kick-Start kit with the NookStudy Survival Tips and the SparkCharts and the B&N Classics bonus e-books, I just had a look at the B&N BookClubs on their website, and official word is that it'll be available starting on the 6th, and there should be an email sent out with instructions.

I hope they put in some Classics that aren't part of the current rotating promo (that I also don't already have). Be nice to see how much of a collection I can make up.